THE PROCESS: Each panelist ranks the teams from No. 1 to No. 32. Teams receive one point for their spot in the rankings (the No. 15 team gets 15 points, etc.). An aggregate score is compiled from the 10 ballots and the teams are stacked in reverse order, with the lowest score achieving the No. 1 ranking and the highest score checking in at No. 32.

THIS WEEK’S POLL: The Denver Broncos head to the postseason as the team to beat after finishing the regular season atop our weekly rankings.

Denver collected six first-place votes and was rated No. 2 on the other four ballots. That helped separate the Broncos from the New England Patriots, who captured three first-place votes but were also designated No. 3 twice and No. 5 once.

The only division to have four teams in the final Top 20 was the NFC South (No. 3 Atlanta, No. 17 New Orleans, No. 18 Tampa Bay and No. 20 Carolina).

The AFC West was home to No. 1 Denver but also to bottom-feeders San Diego (No. 22), Oakland (No. 30) and Kansas City (No. 32).

The Chiefs were designated as the NFL’s worst team by nine of our 10 pollsters.

THE STEELERS’ STATUS: Pittsburgh wound up No. 16, between the 10-win Chicago bears and the 7-8-1 St. Louis Rams.